The present invention is directed to a rolling protective shutter assembly which has a protective shutter, for covering a window or door opening, that may be rolled up into a shutter housing when not in use.
Rolling protective shutters are conventional and are used to provide protection against extreme weather conditions and to deter theft, for example. One such rolling protective shutter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,635 to Solomon. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of that patent, the Solomon shutter is composed of a plurality of elongate slats, each of which has a pair of circular ribs attached to its sides. The slats are interconnected by a plurality of elongate hinges, each of which has a pair of circular apertures in which the circular ribs of the slats are disposed. When the Solomon shutter is unrolled to its protective position, each of the slats in the shutter is disposed vertically with the ends of the slats disposed with guide channels or side tracks on either side of the opening. When not in use, the Solomon shutter may be rolled up into a housing disposed at the upper end of the protective shutter.
Another type of rolling protective shutter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,990 to Ueda. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of that patent, the Ueda shutter is composed of a plurality of slats, each of which has an upper rearward hook extending longitudinally along the upper edge of the slat and a lower U-shaped recess extending longitudinally along the lower edge of the slat. The recess has a forward horizontal projection on a rear edge and extending longitudinally so that when the lower slat moves down under gravity, the hook of the lower slat bears on the horizontal projection of the upper slat. The Ueda shutter may be rolled up and unrolled in a similar manner as the Solomon shutter.
In rolling shutter systems such as the Solomon and Ueda shutters, a portion of the shutter must remain within the side tracks to prevent the shutter from completely rolling up onto the take-up roll within the shutter housing. In some applications, the bottommost slat has a handle extending outwardly from the shutter. One way to stop the bottom of the shutter from entering the housing is to size the opening in the housing through which the shutter passes narrow enough so that the handle hits the housing. The bottom of the shutter will stop short of entering the housing, but in many installations the housing is fabricated from sheet metal that is easily bent if the shutter is rolled up too rapidly.
In another alternative for stopping the bottom of the shutter, metal braces are attached to the side tracks and extend inwardly into the opening so that they engage the handle as the shutter is rolled up. Although the braces are stronger than the sheet metal housing, the handle and the braces can be damaged from repeated metal-on-metal impacts. Both the handle and the braces can be bent, gouged or broken, thereby increasing the possibility that the entire shutter will roll up into the housing and causing deterioration of the appearance of the shutter system. Additionally, the shutter may make a loud bang when the metal handle impacts the metal braces. Therefore, there is a need for a better stopping mechanism that is reliable, adjustable and will preserve the appearance of the shutter system.
The most common mounting application for shutter systems is a surface mount for the housing and shutter tracks on either the inside or the outside of the opening. In other mounting applications, the housing and side tracks are mounted between the walls or jambs that define the opening. In these applications, a recess mount may be used wherein the ends of the side tracks are mounted directly to the walls or jambs. However, if the walls or jambs are not plumb and flat, or if the dimensions of the opening are even slightly off, the side tracks may not mount flush against the wall or jamb, the shutter may get bound up in the tracks or, alternatively, come out of the tracks, or the shutter system may not fit within the opening.
In an alternative to recess mounts, angle mounts are used wherein L-shaped angle brackets are used to mount the side tracks to the walls or jambs. When angle mounts are used, the measurements are not as critical because the angle bracket acts as a trim spacer that hides the space between the side track and the wall or jamb. One drawback to the angle mounts versus the recess mounts is that the heads of the fasteners used to attach the angle brackets are visible. Visible fastener heads may be acceptable for shutter systems mounted to building exteriors, but they may not be desired in interior applications. Therefore, a need exists for a cover for the angle brackets that hides the heads of the fasteners and provides a finished appearance to the angle mounted shutter system.